Studies of populations of the Mediterranan endemic Noble Pen Shell (Pinna nobilis) in Maltese coastal waters

Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, better known as the Habitats Directive (HD), requires management of protected areas and monitoring and surveillance of the conservation status of natural habitats and species of Community interest. The noble pen shell, Pinna nobilis, is a protected species under this Directive.

Pinna nobilis is commonly found in Posidonia oceanica meadows, with part of its shell buried in the substratum. Pinna nobilis populations thus need to be monitored regularly to ensure that conservation status is not degraded, particularly in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around Malta since the results of such monitoring surveys are required for management purposes and to fulfill Habitats Directive reporting obligations.

Ecoserv Ltd has been commission by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to collect baseline information on Pinna nobilis populations in three Marine Protected Areas in Malta: (1) the marine area between Rdum Majjiesa to Ras ir-Raheb; (ii) the marine area in the limits of Mgarr ix-Xini (Gozo); and (iii) the marine area in the limits of Dwejra (Gozo). Moreover a protocol for future monitoring of Pinna nobilis populations was developed; this involves measuring shell biometrics using modified veneer calipers known as a multi-caliper, which allows taking multiple measurements in a single action thereby reducing errors.